Show Details
On this "Best of" episode of Solutions News, Rinaldo talks to Sam Horn about her latest book, SOMEDAY is not a Day of the Week, and about how to take positive action in our lives. Topics on the show include Universal Basic Income - now being tried out in Stockton, CA, how the technology behind bitcoin - blockchain - is revolutionary despite bitcoin's questionable worth, and how 3D mapping of the Notre Dame which was completed in 2015 might make rebuilding the iconic structure possible. We also featured some great "didyaknows". (Original Broadcast April 19, 2019)
Universal Basic Income:
The first story this week is about the concept of a Universal Basic Income, also called a negative income tax. This idea would provide impoverished citizens with a monthly check that would allow them to purchase all necessities needed to survive. The idea is being heavily debated after being endorsed by CEOs like Elon Musk and Richard Branson as well as presidential candidate Andrew Yang, but has roots much earlier. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and economist Milton Friedman both supported the issue. The rich would end up paying a small amount and would receive little benefit, but the lowest classes in society would be lifted up. Stockton, CA is the first city in the United States to implement a Universal Basic. It is paying $500 a month to a select group of 130 citizens to see what economic benefits it will bring. The rest of the country is watching with interest.
Blockchain:
The second story this week is about the technology behind Bitcoin, called Blockchain. Blockchain works by creating a decentralized leger, or a list of all the transactions that have occurred in a system. Information is not stored in one physical location or on one specific computer. Instead, computers on a network are linked, so that all computers have small portions of data, making it extremely secure and almost impossible to hack. The result is an important secure and transparent process. All over the world, companies are using the technology to create secure and efficient transactions in finance, healthcare, insurance, shipping, and other industries. For example, IBM has partnered with credit unions in Denver to use blockchain to provide fast transaction speeds, security, and an easy to audit leger. Blockchain has potential as a solution in both business and government.
Notre Dame:
The world was shocked last April watching as most of the spire and roof of the cathedral of Notre Dame burned. The President of France has pledged to fully rebuild the Cathedral within five years and multiple billionaires and companies have stepped up with large donations. As of May 2020, the restoration is underway, and most of the pldeged funds have been collected. However, this reconstruction is only going to be possible because of the late Vassar professor Andrew Tallon. Tallon took five years, from 2010 – 2015 to map the entire cathedral using laser scanners. Using 50 different scanners, Tallon was able to take one billion points of data to create a map that is accurate within 5 mm of the original. As the cathedral is re-built, the treasure will continue to inspire millions of people for many years to come.
Sam Horn, Author - SOMEDAY is not a Day of the Week